Lewisham council to buy 300 homes for homeless families
By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter
A council is set to buy a portfolio of 300 houses as emergency accommodation for families at risk of homelessness.
Housing bosses at Lewisham council have been alarmed by a stark rise in families who are reporting as homeless or at immediate risk of losing their homes.
The authority is already due to build 2,000 new homes to reduce waiting lists, but officials say specific homeless accommodation is also required.
They hope purchasing the homes outright will help the council bring down the ballooning sum it is spending on emergency accommodation – and lead to more consistent living standards.
The total sum to be put aside to fund the purchases has not yet been disclosed, however, Lewisham council has said it is willing to spend up to ÂŁ600,000 on each property.
Lewisham paid more than ÂŁ143,962 on hotels for homeless families last year, more than four times the amount it spent on such accommodation in 2020/21.
The number of people approaching the council in danger of losing their homes has jumped by 31 per cent from 2,833 to 3,723 in two years.
There were more than 10,200 people on the council’s housing waiting list as of April last year. Of that number, more than 2,200 were families living in temporary accommodation.
Lewisham council plans to start work on 2,000 new council homes by 2026.
But the council has admitted that it can’t keep up with the demand for homes – and said the move would mean they only have scope to house families in the most desperate need.
Pictured top: Lewisham council’s headquarters in Catford (Picture: Google Street View)
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My name isCynthia I live in Catfford what a place with so much to say and do etc.lewisham have a lot of work cut out I live on a big block of flats I been staying in this area since 2017 and it hasn’t been easy as well as working in the area life has been really stressful and mad so much trouble comes with it my flat is full with damps moods cracks leaks pest control matters in the past repairs not been done some has been done and still back to square one blocked sink off and on for few years now anti social drunks drugs users all over the place on my door step at my work place I said every where life is just crazy living with my children’s on top with four members of my family who has just died my head my mind and soul is still very troubled in many ways words can not explain people should not have to live in this way it’s not fair or right someone should be looking into this way of life we all are going through Thankyou Godbless the people ❤️🙏🙏🙏🙏